Two-Stage Framework for Sensing Assisted Covert Communications

• Published in: IEEE transactions on vehicular technology Vol. 74; no. 6; pp. 9858 - 9863
• Main Authors: Qian, Bingrong, Yan, Shihao, Wu, Qingqing, Shu, Feng, Li, Zan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01.06.2025; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Array signal processing; Constraints; Covariance matrices; Covert communication; covertness; Downlink; Full-duplex system; Integrated sensing and communication; integrated sensing and communication (ISAC); Jamming; Quality of service; Signal to noise ratio; Spaceborne radar; Transceivers; two-stage framework; Uplink; Uplinking
• ISSN: 0018-9545; 1939-9359
• DOI: 10.1109/TVT.2025.3531877

In this work, we propose a two-stage integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) framework for exploiting the benefits of utilizing ISAC's detection capability in covert communications. Specifically, in the first stage a full-duplex transceiver Bob detects the presence of a warden Willie while performing uplink transmissions to another transceiver Alice. Then, in the second stage Bob helps Alice's covert downlink transmission via jamming as per his detection outcome in the first stage. We optimally design the covert ISAC system to maximize the formulated overall covert rate subject to a covertness constraint, an average power constraint at Bob, and an uplink rate requirement. As shown in our examinations, the proposed two-stage framework significantly outperforms a benchmark scheme without the detection function in terms of achieving a higher covert rate. This, for the first time, explicitly demonstrates the superiorities of using ISAC's detection function to enhance covert communications.